Blowing tube for molten metal



y 3, 1961 R. M. GIBSON 2,985,441

BLOWING TUBE FOR MOLTEN METAL Filed March 10, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.I. '3

INVENTOR. Robert M. Gibson 59 5 his ATTORNEYS May 23, 1961 R. M. GIBSONBLOWING TUBE F'OR MOLTEN METAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 10, 1960 m mm m Robert M. Gibson p5? fwd aw his ATTORNEYS y 1961 R. M. GIBSON2,985,441

BLOWING TUBE FOR MOLTEN METAL Filed March 10, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR. Robert M. Gibson his ATTORNEYS BLOWING TUBE FOR MOLTEN METALRobert M. Gibson, Allison Park, Pa. (111 Harbor Drive, Key Biscayne,Miami 49, Fla.)

Filed Mar. 10, 1960, Ser. No. 14,098

7 Claims. (Cl. 266-34) My invention relates generally to metallurgicalapparatus, for refining metal in molten state, such as apparatus forpracticing the Bessemer process. More specifically, my invention relatesto improvements in the blowing tube employed with such apparatus.

In Letters Patent of the United States, Number 2,47 ,416 granted to meJune 7, 1949, and in Letters Patent 2,546,337, granted to me March 27,1951, I have illustrated and described certain improvements in apparatusfor producing steel by the Bessemer process, and reference is made tothese patents for a complete understanding of the construction andoperation of the metallurgical apparatus described therein.

My present invention consists in certain new and useful improvements inthe blowing tube for molten metal as described and claimed in my Patent2,472,416, to the end that the practice of the Bessemer process shall befacilitated and more readily adapted to present day large scaleproduction, all with substantial continuity of operation with reductionin labor, time and operational expenditures.

The invention will be understood upon reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view showing partly in side elevation and partlyin vertical section my improved blowing tube and its adjustable support;

Fig. 2 is a partial axial sectional view and part elevation of theblowing tube of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the blowing tube;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the blowing tube, taken on linesIV-IV of Fig. 3; K

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the blowing tube, taken on lines VVof Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines VI-Vl of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, the blowing tube 1 is formed of a verticalcolumn of hollow refractory rings 2, 3 and 4, each formed of a pluralityof segmental blocks 5, 6 and 7 of refractory material. The individualblocks are so formed that the hollow rings are cylindrical internallyand externally, with the exception of the blocks 7 that form thelower-most ring 4 of the column and these lower-most blocks are formedwith arcuate flaring bottom faces, whereby the assembly of thesuper-posed rings forms a refractory tube having a cylindrical borewhose lower end is outwardly flared as'shown in Fig. 2. The refractoryassembly of blocks is integrated by means of a plurality of supportingtubes 8 of steel or other suitable material, anchored at their upperends to a head 9 of cast iron or steel.

Preferably there are eight of these supporting tubes and they arearranged in spaced relation circumferentially of the blow tube 1. Tofacilitate assembly of the refractory rings thereon, the supportingtubes 8 are comprised of pipe nipples connected by couplings. The upperend of each supporting tube is comprised of a .nipple 11) extendingthrough the horizontal web 11 of Patented May 23, 1961 head 9 andextends part way through a coupling 12. A washer 13 mounted beneath thecoupling 12 provides a bearing support upon the said horizontal web 11.The blow tube 1 is formed of alternate rings of block segments 5 and 6,except the lower-most ring which is formed of block segments 7. Each ofthe block segments form one-eighth of a circle and the segments 5 and 6each have a central cylindrical opening 14 terminating at its oppositeends in enlarged concentric openings 15 extending through the adjacentupper and lower faces of the segment. Each said segment opening 15merges into an annular recess 16. In assembling the upper ring 2 theindividual segment openings 14 are engaged over the nipple 10 intoabutting relation with the under face of the horizontal web 11 of thehead 9. A washer 17 is moved over the end of the nipple 10 and thecoupling 18 threaded upon the lower end of the nipple to engage thewasher and retain the associated segment 5 in position. After thesegments 5 of ring 2 are thus assembled, a steel ring 19 encircles allof the couplings and serves to reinforce the tube laterally.

The segments 6 of the refractory rings 3 are also oneeighth of a circleas shown in Fig. 4. These fit between the tubes 8 so that the jointsformed between the segments of these rings are in staggered relation tothe joints between segments in the adjacent rings. Each segment 6,therefore, has a semi-circular recess 14a in each side wall 3a forreception of nipple 10a and one-half the concentric enlarged openings15a for reception of coupling 18. Each segment 6 is, however, providedwith the annular recess 15, in the upper face thereof; in assembling thesegments 6, the nipple 10a is first threaded into the coupling 18, and,thereafter, the segments 6 are disposed between the nipples, the washers17 slid over the end of the nipple and the assembly of nipple, segmentsand washers are held in place by the couplings 18. Again, a reinforcingring 19 is slid over the couplings 18 and a refractory ring of blocksegments 5' is assembled as previously described. This assembly ofalternate rings is continued until the bottom-most ring of the tubewhich is formed of the block segments 7. These ring segments, like thering segments 5, have a central opening 14b for reception of a nipple10b of preferably smaller size than the previous nipples 10a. Centralopening 14b terminates at the upper face of the segment in an enlargedopening as in segments 5 and 6 and at the lower end of the centralopening 14b is an enlarged concentric opening which extends to thebottom face of the block segments. The lower-most coupling 18a variesfrom the other couplings 18 in that one-half of the central opening ofthe coupling is of smaller diameter to receive the smaller sized nipple.10b. The block segments 7 are engaged over the nipple 10b, a washer 17ais mounted on the nipple and a nozzle member 21 is threaded upon thenipple 10b to retain the block segment 7 in place. The nozzle 21 ispreferably formed of refractory material having a metal insert 22 in theupper end of the portion for threading upon the nipple and provided witha central discharge opening communicating with the discharge opening 21ain the nozzle 21. As shown in Fig. 2 the block segments 7 have an innerarcuate face 24 and an outer flaring face 25.

In service, the blowing tube 1 is secured as by bolts 26, Fig. 1, to asleeve-nut 27 that engages an externally threaded hollow spindle 28which is rotatably borne by an upper housing 29. More particularly, acollar portion 30 is rigidly united to a knee-ring 31 welded orotherwise locked upon the hollow spindle 28, and this collar portionrides two races 32 and 33 of anti-friction bearings provided in head 34that forms the upper end of housing 29. A worm gear is carried by thecollar portion 30, and a Worm-pinion 36, mounted on a shaft 37, mesheswith the gear 35. Suitable means (not shown) are provided for rotatingshaft 37 selectively in either direction of rotation, whereby the collarportion 3i and the threaded spindle 28 may be rotated in eitherdirection within the sleeve-nut 27. Means are provided for preventingthe sleeve-nut from rotating, and such means comprise rollers 38 whichare trunnioned between paired webs 39 on the cast metal head of theblowing tube, and at their edges extend between vertical metal strips 41that are welded in parallel pairs upon the inner surface of the housing29, the strips in each pair being spaced apart a suflicient interval toprovide a vertical way for the rollers 38. The upper end of the rotaryhollow spindle 28 is hermetically united to a header 42 whence the blastof air and the reagent materials are delivered, and the bore ofthis-spindle 23 forms with the bore of the blow tube 1 -a continuouspassageway to the surface of the molten metal into which the tube isinjected. The structure and mode of operation as dcscribed'in thisparagraph forms no part of this invention and are more fully describedin my Patent 2,472,416 hereinbefore referred to.

Mounted upon the inner face of housing 39, above the head 9 of the blowtube 1, is a hollow bracket 43 held in place by any suitable means, suchas bolts 44. An inlet connection 45 for steam and oxygen extends throughhousing 39 into the hollow interior of bracket 43. Encircling the nut27, connected to the head 9 of blow tube 1, is a flexible helicallycoiled tube 46. The upper end of tube 46 is connected by means of asuitable swivel coupling 47, to the interior of hollow bracket 43. Thelower end of tube 46 is connected by means of a suitable swivel coupling48 to a hollow circular header 49 mounted upon blowing tube head 9. Eachblowing tube support t tube 8 has the coupling 12 at the top thereofconnected to said circular header 45 by the inlet tube 50. By this meansoxygen and/or steam may be injected into the metal being treated, by theblow tube 1, either with or without air moving through the centralopening in the blow tube.

As discussed in my prior Patent 2,472,416, the blowing tube isprogressively ejected from the casing 29 into the molten metal withinthe ladle for the two fold purpose of burning out the silicon of themolten metal and ejection of accumulating slag from the ladle. Duringthis operation the blow tube is heated from contact with the moltenmetal and such heat passes upwardly into the portions of the blowtuberernaining within the casing 29.

In my improved form of blow tube, the lower end of casing 29 is providedwith a water cooled jacket. As shown in Fig. l of the present drawings,the lower end of casing 29 is provided with an annular flange .51projecting outwardly therefrom to provide a bottom closure .wall for acooling jacket 52 and a bolting flange 53 for attachment to a connectingcasing as described in my hereinbefo're mentioned patent. Suchcoolingjacket is serving to further reducethe blowing time and thedesired defined by wall plate 54 disposed in spaced relation to casingplate 29; and extending upwardly from-flange 51 I -The optical systemarranged above the blow tube and thedisplacementof metal from within thesubmerging blow tube by inblown air through the central passageway .of.the blow tube, asdescribed in my Patent 2,472,416

provided many advantages therein both as to speed and control of thereaction. 'In my improved blow tube, oxygen or steam, or both, may beblown, under pressure,

oxidation of the carbon by the heat.

The jointed construction of the hollow tubes 8 provides a convenient andrapid means for replacing the lower refractory blocks. The form of therefractory blocks makes ready removal and replacement possible with aminimum of labor. The steel rings imbedded within the recesses of therefractory blocks resist internal pressure within the blow tube. Thewater jacket provides adequate dissipation of the rising heat in therefractory blocks of the blow tube and materially extends the life ofallbut the lowermost rings of blocks.

The invention is defined in the appended claims, and it will beunderstood that within the terms of such claims many variations, andmodifications of the structure described are permissible withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A blowing tube for metallurgical use comprising an elongatedrefractory hollow tube of superposed abutting rings of block segmentswith the joints between segments of one ring staggered with relation tothe jointsbetween segments of each adjacent ring, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced metal tubular members enclosed by said blocksegment and disposed between'the inner and outer circumference of saidrefractory tings, each said tubular members having its upper endextending through the upper end of said blow tube and its lower endterminating within the lower end of said blow tube, the lower ring ofthe blow tube being provided with a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced openings extending inwardly from the bottom face thereof intocommunication with said embedded tubular members, a refractory nozzlemember within each said lower ring circumferentially spaced openings,and meansconnected with said blow tube-central and circumferentiallyspaced openings for introduction of air through the central opening andoxygen supplying gaseous mediums to the circumferentially spacedopenings.

2. The blow tube as defined in claim 1, wherein each said metal tubularmember comprises a pipe nipple disposed within each said refractoryring,the abutting faces of each said rings having inwardly recessed openingtherein concentric with said aligned pipe nipples and a pipe couplingdisposed in each said recessed opening connecting the ends of theadjacent'aligued pipe nipples, said couplings providing adjustablevertical support for the respective refractory ring upon said hollowtubular members. r

3. A blowing tube of the characterdescribed, comprising an elongatedhollow refractory member of superposed rings of abutting block segments,a plurality of 'circumferentially arranged segmental hollow tubularmembers extending longitudinally of said refractory member and embeddingwithin said rings thereof, each said hollow tubular member comprising anend segment pro ecting, from the exposed. face ofthe upper ring of theblow tube and terminating short of theopposite face of said. end ring, asegment'disposed within .each of the intermediate rings of said. blow.tube and terminating in spaced relation to each of the opposite facesof said abutting rings, a hollow tubular segment disposed within thelower end ring of said blow tube and terminating short of the oppositefaces thereof, each said n'ngs having enlarged recessed openings intheir abutting faces concentric with and larger in diameter than saidtubular member segments, coupling members connecting the adjacent endsof said tubular member segments and disposed within adjacent recesses ofthe abutting faces of said rings, each said coupling members adjustablysupporting a block segment of the ring disposed above the coupling.

4. The blowing tube as defined in claim 3, wherein a metal head member,having a transverse web, is disposed upon the upper end of the blowingtube in abutting engagement with the exposed face of the adjacentrefractory ring of the tube, said head member Web being provided withopenings therethrough concentric with the central and thecircumferentially spaced tubular openings in said adjacent ring, saidprojecting member segments extending through registering web opening,and coupling members connecting said projecting segments to the headmember.

5. The blowing ring as defined in claim 3, wherein the bottom-mostrefractory ring has an opening therein extending inwardly from the outerface thereof concentric with and larger than the tubular member segmenttherein, and a nozzle member within said concentric opening connected tosaid tubular member segment supporting the enclosing refractory ringfrom said segment.

6. The blowing tube as defined in claim 4 wherein, said blow tube headmember is connected with a source of air from movement under pressurethrough the central opening of said blow tube, and means on said headmember for selectively supplying steam and oxygen to each said blow tubehollow tubular member couplings upon said head member.

7. The blowing ring as defined in claim 5 wherein the upper face of eachsaid refractory rings has an anuular recess therein enclosing saidcouplings and a metal ring member disposed in said recess and encirclingsaid couplings resisting lateral pressure from air within the blowingtube central opening.

Fisk Aug. 5, 1919 Gibson Mar. 27, 1951

